ANR asks for small budget adjustment to cover wildfire overtime and higher lab fees
January 18, 2025 | Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The Agency of Natural Resources told the House Appropriations Committee on Jan. 17 that it needs a modest Budget Adjustment Act appropriation to cover overtime and other unanticipated costs tied to 2024 wildland fires and to offset higher laboratory testing fees.
Secretary Julie Moore told committee members that the agency “ended up with $33,200 in unanticipated payroll costs associated with staff being called out to fight these fires, as well as… $1,500 for town reimbursement.” She said the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has three full‑time wildland firefighters and 22 employees who hold wildland firefighting certifications (red cards), and the overtime and mutual aid costs could not be absorbed into the existing budget.
Moore also reported that the Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Laboratory published a new schedule of rates effective Jan. 1. Moore said the lab, managed by the Agency of Agriculture, is a frequent vendor for ANR and that reagent and other costs have risen. The agency identified two line items in the BAA: roughly $28,000 for one set of environmental lab services and about $8,000 for another, representing increases ANR says will be more pronounced in fiscal 2026.
Rep. Jessica Morrison asked whether the two lab lines were separate appropriations; Moore replied they correspond to air monitoring and water monitoring work, respectively. Moore said some of the lab’s work is provided to watershed organizations through the LaRosa Partnership Program, which she described as a scholarship program that allows organizations to use the lab while the agency manages capacity.
Committee members pressed the agency on whether lab users outside government also use the state lab; Moore said yes, and that the lab had historically been priced below private market rates and has been raised toward market levels. She added that the increase ‘‘will be more pronounced in the FY26 budget’’ because of seasonal sampling patterns and quarterly billing.
Moore and CFO Steve Gomez told members the agency had absorbed some fee increases where possible but now faces two remaining unanticipated gaps: the wildfire payroll/town reimbursement and the lab fee increases. No formal vote was recorded on the BAA requests during the hearing.
The Appropriations Committee will consider the agency’s BAA submissions alongside other budget items this session; ANR said it will return after the governor’s proposed FY26 budget is available.
Secretary Julie Moore told committee members that the agency “ended up with $33,200 in unanticipated payroll costs associated with staff being called out to fight these fires, as well as… $1,500 for town reimbursement.” She said the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has three full‑time wildland firefighters and 22 employees who hold wildland firefighting certifications (red cards), and the overtime and mutual aid costs could not be absorbed into the existing budget.
Moore also reported that the Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Laboratory published a new schedule of rates effective Jan. 1. Moore said the lab, managed by the Agency of Agriculture, is a frequent vendor for ANR and that reagent and other costs have risen. The agency identified two line items in the BAA: roughly $28,000 for one set of environmental lab services and about $8,000 for another, representing increases ANR says will be more pronounced in fiscal 2026.
Rep. Jessica Morrison asked whether the two lab lines were separate appropriations; Moore replied they correspond to air monitoring and water monitoring work, respectively. Moore said some of the lab’s work is provided to watershed organizations through the LaRosa Partnership Program, which she described as a scholarship program that allows organizations to use the lab while the agency manages capacity.
Committee members pressed the agency on whether lab users outside government also use the state lab; Moore said yes, and that the lab had historically been priced below private market rates and has been raised toward market levels. She added that the increase ‘‘will be more pronounced in the FY26 budget’’ because of seasonal sampling patterns and quarterly billing.
Moore and CFO Steve Gomez told members the agency had absorbed some fee increases where possible but now faces two remaining unanticipated gaps: the wildfire payroll/town reimbursement and the lab fee increases. No formal vote was recorded on the BAA requests during the hearing.
The Appropriations Committee will consider the agency’s BAA submissions alongside other budget items this session; ANR said it will return after the governor’s proposed FY26 budget is available.
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